Book Review Slides

Book Reviews• Due October 1st

• 2-3 paragraphs

• Includes:– An introduction and plot summary*don’t tell all!!

– Your recommendation, good or not?• Be professional about it. Back up your ideas with specific

examples from the book/story.• This is a published written work by a real person, so…

be respectful“I hated it” “Never read it” “It’s stupid”

Book Review Rubric!!• Due October 1st

Introduction is catchy and relates to the book. /5Plot summary clearly explains the main events of the story, especially the problem.

/15

Recommendation is respectful yet honest, and points to specific examples from the story.

/10

Main themes/life lessons are mentioned somewhere in the review. /5

2-3 paragraphs, neatly typed. /5Conventions: spelling, grammar, punctuation, paragraphing

/10

Book Review #1: The GiverThe Giver depicts a perfect society in which citizens

experience no pain, have never felt fear, and life is completely under control. However, as the reader progresses through the story, it's easy to see that this community is far from utopia. Instead, through the experiences felt by the main character Jonas, the reader learns there is a lot that is missing from life in this world.

During the Ceremony of the Twelves, each 12-year-old is assigned their life long career in the community. Jonas is chosen to be the Receiver of Memories, a very special job assigned to one person at a time. When Jonas receives his training, he learns many truths about his community that change how he feels about his life, making him determined to do something to change it.

The Giver is a good book for teens who enjoy science fiction and fantasy. The book makes you examine your own life, values, and beliefs, striving to find how you would define the perfect society.

From: http://math-and-reading-help-for-kids.org/articles/Middle_school_book_reviews.html

Book Review #2: Because of Winn-Dixie

Amazon.com ReviewBecause of Winn-Dixie, a big, ugly, happy dog, 10-year-old Opal

learns 10 things about her long-gone mother from her preacher father. Because of Winn-Dixie, Opal makes new friends among the somewhat unusual residents of her new hometown, Naomi, Florida. Because of Winn-Dixie, Opal begins to find her place in the world and let go of some of the sadness left by her mother's abandonment seven years earlier.

With her newly adopted, goofy pooch at her side, Opal explores her bittersweet world and learns to listen to other people's lives. This warm and winning book hosts an unforgettable cast of characters, including a librarian who fought off a bear with a copy of War and Peace, an ex-con pet-store clerk who plays sweet music to his animal charges, and the neighborhood "witch," a nearly blind woman who sees with her heart. Part Frankie (The Member of the Wedding), part Scout (To Kill a Mockingbird), Opal brings her own unique and wonderful voice to a story of friendship, loneliness, and acceptance. Opal's down-home charm and dead-on honesty will earn her friends and fans far beyond the confines of Naomi, Florida. (Ages 9 and older) --Emilie Coulter --

From: http://math-and-reading-help-for-kids.org/articles/Middle_school_book_reviews.html